✍️ Can I change my name without a reason?

With conditions

Quick answer

Not simply because you want to — a statutory ground is required. Changing a first name, surname or ethnicity record is not a free choice: the application must state a reason, and it must match one of the grounds the law provides — for instance, that the current name makes life in society difficult, that you want your spouse's surname, or that you wish to return to your pre-marriage name. The state fee is €71.14 per change, payable when the application is filed. If you change several records, each is charged separately. The decision — to allow or refuse — is taken within one month of the application reaching the Registry Department.

📋 The rules

A statutory ground is required
The application must state a reason
The state fee: €71.14 per change
Several records are charged separately
The decision: within one month

🔓 Exceptions

The application can be filed at a registry office or at the Ministry of Justice Registry Department
A refusal is possible where no statutory ground exists
After the change, all identity documents must be replaced

⚠️ Penalties & fines

Plan for what happens after the decision. A name change does not end with the Registry Department's decision — afterwards you must replace every identity document: the eID card, the passport, the driving licence. Each of those costs separately, on top of the €71.14 fee. Then add updating the records at your bank, in your employment contract, in the Land Register and in other registers. And refusal is real: where the application discloses no statutory ground, the department can refuse — and the fee has already been paid. So before filing, make sure your reason matches the law.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

Can I change my name without a reason?

You cannot. The application must state a reason, and it must correspond to one of the grounds provided by law. Without a ground, the Registry Department can decide to refuse.

What does a name change cost?

The state fee is €71.14 per change, payable when the application is filed. If you change several records — a first name and a surname, say — each is charged separately.

How long does the decision take?

A decision to change a first name, surname or ethnicity record, or to refuse, is taken within one month of the application reaching the Ministry of Justice Registry Department.

What must I do afterwards?

Replace every identity document — eID card, passport, driving licence — each of which costs separately. You must also update records at the bank, in your employment contract and in registers.

Is the fee refunded on refusal?

The fee is payable when the application is filed, so on a refusal it has already been paid. Before filing, make sure your reason genuinely matches a ground provided by law.

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